My Joker System: From Low Mana Trash to the Mightiest Wizard!-Chapter 146: A Bit Too Much

"Taking us away to live a city life is great and all, but you haven’t told me how you got the money yet..." Helena reminded her son.

She would rather stay in Poporo than allow Hal to engage in illegal stuff and earn dirty money.

"Oh, right. Well... your son is also somehow a genius and has just won the Arcana Primis Cup, if you two know what that tournament is? Basically, it’s an empire-wide competition for rookies in their first or second year studying wizardry. The gold coin rewards allowed me to buy my motorcycle, though it was on an installment plan, and move you two out," Hal explained as simply as he could.

His mother wouldn’t believe what he said the first time anyway.

He would have to repeat himself with a serious face to convince her. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Sure enough...

"And... you won that prestigious, empire-wide rookie tournament?"

"Yes..." Hal confirmed, sighing shortly after. "You don’t believe me, do you? Well, that’s what really happened. Once you get to the city, you can confirm it. I did luck out with my mana-bound artifact draw."

’Though what I got wasn’t an artifact...’

There was no need for his mother to know such stuff, though.

All she needed to know was that her son was doing well as a wizard.

Extremely well, in fact.

Helena peered through his son’s eyes, trying to see if there was even a hint of him lying.

He seemed not to be...

And so, with a sigh, she chose to believe her son for now:

"Fine, but I’ll confirm this later, and if I find out you’re lying...mark my words, I’ll return and live the rest of my life out here."

Fortunately, Hal reacted by simply shrugging his shoulders with a helpless sigh, which pleased Helena.

It truly didn’t seem like her son was lying...

’But an empire-wide rookie tournament?’ She couldn’t help but finally realize the gravity of the situation.

Wouldn’t her son be a celebrity now in the empire, then?

Lynn, on the other hand, was still somewhat skeptical about Hal’s claims, but her mind was on another matter.

If they were to leave, then what about their neighbors?

Would they have to leave their friends behind?

Lynn understood that this was inevitable, especially if her daughter’s life had indeed been turned around by her mana-bound artifact.

"I-If we’re going to leave, what about Linda and the others? I’d feel bad leaving them here..."

Lynn was sure that their friends would understand.

However, she truly was reluctant to part with them.

If only they could relocate the entire village to a city.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t them who were rich, but their children.

It would be inappropriate to tell them how to use their money, no?

The three could only sigh in the end.

They all held a place in Hal’s heart, including Korren’s mother and father, Aunty Linda and Uncle Darwin.

But how could he possibly shoulder the living expenses for all of them?

And would they even let him?

After all, it would be quite embarrassing, and perhaps even a bit self-degrading, to live off the money of a close friend’s son, wouldn’t it?

"Well...I brought a gift for them, at least...Plus, Korren and the others would come fetch them sooner or later, no?" Hal said, scratching his cheek in a rather awkward manner.

The two didn’t answer, clearly reluctant to leave everyone behind and live a life of luxury on their own.

A majority of them had known each other since they were young, and while the few who became wizards left and never returned, they remained a tight-knit community who had always helped one another in times of need.

It was truly hard for Lynn and Helena to enjoy a luxurious life, knowing that the friends and neighbors they had known their entire lives were still stuck out in the sticks, where one bad day could mean death for everyone.

Such were the dangers of living in a border village.

Hal found the situation difficult to handle, scratching his head as he tried to think of what to do, when suddenly, his mother suggested:

"H-Hal, I know it’s too much for me to ask, but if you’re taking us away, c-can we at least stay in a town near your city first? B-bring all of them with us, if that’s alright? Leaving so suddenly... it’s difficult for us to just leave them behind and go live in the city..."

Hal already knew this, which was why he had thought of bringing Ennya’s mother along, as the two women were also the closest in their generation, both having lost their husbands while protecting the village and the little ones just after Hal and Ennya were born.

He hoped it would be enough.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t. But even he found it difficult to leave them all behind.

Hal looked at Lynn, realizing that although she didn’t speak, she supported his mother’s words.

He then sighed.

"Well, it’s not too much for me. I have the finances to help everyone get started in a town, at least...but I’m worried about how they would be able to sustain such a life..."

"That’s true..." Lynn intervened.

They could continue hunting small game in the outskirts of a forest, since they’ve got the experience avoiding the lower-tiered beasts and monsters, continue planting crops, and taking care of a few small hens for meals.

But how about rent?

Hal couldn’t possibly pay their rent for them forever, no?

Korren and the others’ families should have no problems in the near future, but those who weren’t blessed with a child who had mana affinity, or who had remained single their entire lives, would find it difficult to scrape by.

After all, unlike the dangerous borders—where one could simply build any type of settlement on whatever land they wished, so long as it was still within the borders—living in a town wasn’t so free.

There, one had to either purchase land in a residential area before being allowed to build or rent a house.

It would be difficult to survive without a job, a sustainable small business, or having been born in the town with an established residence.

In short, they needed money.

And no one in Poporo Village had much of it...

This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eew𝒆bn(o)vel.com